Van Dam: Europe’s Junior Solheim Cup Squad Will Battle to the Final Putt for Victory

Anne Van Dam, the PING Junior Solheim Cup captain for Team Europe, is confident that her young squad has a realistic shot at reclaiming the trophy from the United States at Bernardus Golf later this week. She insists that every player on her team will "fight to the last putt," a mantra that captures both their competitive spirit and the high stakes of the event. The upcoming Junior Solheim Cup will feature twelve of Europe’s most promising golfers, all aged between 12 and 18, who will line up against their American counterparts on September 7 and 8. The competition takes place at Bernardus Golf in the Netherlands, a venue that will soon host the senior Solheim Cup as well, creating a historic back‑to‑back week of women’s team golf.

This year’s junior tournament is scheduled just three days before the senior Solheim Cup, which kicks off on September 11 and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports. For the first time in the event’s history, both the junior and senior contests will be contested on the same course in the same week, giving the young players a rare glimpse of the atmosphere and pressure that accompany the senior competition.

The 2026 edition also marks a milestone for the captaincy structure. Van Dam will serve not only as the Junior Solheim Cup captain but also as a vice‑captain for the senior Solheim Cup, working alongside Anna Nordqvist, who has been appointed the senior team’s captain. Van Dam’s former teammate from the 2013 Junior Solheim Cup, Bronte Law, will act as her vice‑captain for the junior side, adding further experience to the leadership team.

Across the Atlantic, Morgan Pressel leads Team USA. The Americans enter the event as the defending champions after their 2024 victory at the Army‑Navy Country Club in Arlington, Virginia. Pressel’s squad is widely regarded as the favorite, but Van Dam remains undaunted. "My team are all fighters," Van Dam told reporters.

"They each have big personalities and a feisty attitude. I know they will battle hard to the very last putt.

That kind of grit is either there or it isn’t, and every player on our roster has it." She added that Europe currently trails the United States in the overall Junior Solheim Cup standings – the Americans lead the all‑time series 8‑4‑1 – but she hopes her side can close the gap. "Europe may be a little behind in the total record, but I would love to see us catch up," she said.

The last meeting of the two sides on European soil took place in 2023 in Spain, where Europe turned the tables and won 15‑9. That result still resonates with the current European players, many of whom grew up hearing about that triumph. Van Dam expressed excitement about watching her players develop over the next two days and beyond.

"There are a lot of future superstars in this group," she noted. "From the moment I started talking to them, I could sense how eager they are to learn from me and from Bronte.

Playing on the same venue as the senior Solheim Cup is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime experience for them." Selection for Team Europe was based on a combination of automatic qualifiers and captain’s picks. The top six European players in the PING Junior Solheim Cup rankings after the R&A Girls’ Amateur Championship in August earned automatic spots.

Van Dam used her discretionary picks to round out the roster, adding Spain’s Marta Muñoz after she captured the R&A Girls’ Amateur title, and England’s Annabel Peaford, who impressed with her recent performances. Other notable qualifiers include: - Lana Guyot of Switzerland, who reached the semi‑finals of the R&A Girls’ Amateur; - Lauren Crump of England, the winner of the Annika Invitational Europe in Sweden; - Adriana García Terol of Spain, who qualified via the rankings alongside Muñoz.

Team USA’s lineup features several high‑profile juniors. Asterisk Talley, who played for the United States in 2023 and 2024, tops the Rolex American Junior Golf Association (AJGA) rankings and recently won the U.S.

Women’s Amateur Championship. Amelie Zalsman has been a consistent performer on the AGJA circuit, posting multiple top‑five finishes and a runner‑up finish at the U.S. Girls’ Junior.

Anna Fang, a key contributor to the 2024 U.S. victory, has risen to 52nd in the Women’s World Amateur Golf Rankings after a strong showing at the Rolex Tournament of Champions.

The United States also boasts seasoned alumni such as Nelly Korda, Lexi Thompson, and Alison Lee, all of whom have Junior Solheim Cup experience. Europe’s legacy players include Charley Hull, Georgia Hall, and future senior captain Anna Nordqvist, underscoring the depth of talent on both sides.

The format for the two‑day event is straightforward: on Monday, September 7, there will be six four‑ball matches and six foursomes matches. Tuesday, September 8, will feature twelve singles matches, determining the final score.

Fans can follow every swing live on Sky Sports, with comprehensive coverage of both the junior and senior Solheim Cups from September 11‑13. The tournament not only offers a glimpse of the next generation of elite women golfers but also serves as a proving ground for future Solheim Cup stars. Beyond the competition itself, the event highlights the growing popularity of women’s golf in Europe and the United States.

Golf clubs across the UK and Ireland are offering special rates for visitors, and many courses are promoting junior development programs to nurture talent from an early age. In summary, while Team USA enters as the defending champion and the statistical favorite, Team Europe, under Van Dam’s spirited leadership, is poised to challenge fiercely. Their blend of youthful energy, seasoned guidance, and the unique experience of playing on the same course as the senior Solheim Cup could very well tip the scales.

The stage is set, the players are ready, and as Van Dam herself put it, they will fight "to the last putt" for a chance to bring the Junior Solheim Cup back to Europe.